Improvement in wood pavements



IINITED STATES Prnr Orrrcn WILLIAM DISNEY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN WQODPAVEMENTSr Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,162, dated January 26,1875; application filed April 7, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DISNEY, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented an Improved Wood Pavement, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to those wood pavements in which the blocks are united in pre liminary sections, to facilitate laying them; and it relates also to those wood pavements in which provision is made for looking or anchorin g the blocks in position.

The object of the present invention is to unite the blocks in sections in such manner as that the binders, coupling strips, or cleats will serve to render each row or rank of blocks extending across the street from curb to curb a solid and continuous arch; also, to form footholds without the aid of sand or gravel; and,

- also, to interlock the blocks and sections so as to hold each section and block in line and flush with all those around it in superior manner, as well as to unite the blocks in the preliminary sections.

The invention consists in an improved streetpavement, each transverse row or rank of which is composed of two or more sections of vertical wooden blocks, united by horizontal binders, coupling strips, or cleats applied at top and bottom to the respective vertical sides of the assembled blocks, and so as to break joints in the rows or ranks, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective front view of a section of wooden blocks illustrating this invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective rear view of a different section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a wood pavement in process of construction according to this invention.

The wooden blocks A employed for this pavement are, by preference, simple rectangles of uniform height and width, with vertical grain, and of such length in a horizontal direction as the stud will produce. In order to unite such blocks in sections, so as to facilitate laying the same, and at the same time to form wooden partitions between the rows of blocks without additional labor or material, longitudinal strips or cleats B G are applied horizontally to the vertical sides of the ranks of assembled blocks, and secured thereto by nails or plugs, in lieu of being applied to the bottoms of the blocks. These strips are, by preference, made of oak or other hard wood with longitudinal grain; in other words, the grain is disposed transversely of the thoroughfare, and they are so applied to the respective sections as to break joints between the sections composing each row of blocks extending from curb to curb. This is accomplished by applying the strips so that they shall each project at one end, and leave a space at the other end to receive the projecting end of the adjoining strip, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The sections designed to be laid adjoining the curbs may be provided with strips flush with one end of each section. The projecting ends of the strips are in each case nailed or plugged to the blocks which they overlap in the same rank. Owing to this provision, a row or rank of blocks laid according to this invention is strongly and permanently united from end to end across the street, and thus rendered continuous, and made to form a single solid span between the curbs, while the several sections are securely held in line with each other.

In order to combine with the effects above recited the advantages of a simple and durable lock between the respective rows or ranks of blocks without increased labor or additional material, the hinder or coupling strip or cleat O in the face of each section is arranged at bottom, and the cleat B on the back of each section is arranged at or near the top, so as to project over or occupy the space above the front cleat, G, on the adjoining section in the row or rank behind, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. Each row of blocks, and each individual block in every row, is thus united, front and rear, with those which adjoin it, and each row, by means of its strips, thus serves to hold up the adjacent rows in front of it, and to hold down'the adjacent rows behind it while the cleats at the same time bind the blocks and sections together transversely. The result is a peculiarly-solid self-braced and self-locked wooden pavement.

The necessary foothold is provided for, without the use of sand or gravel, by arranging the upper strips a short distance below the top,

and with the grain of the wood horizontal, sections of blocks, having upper rear cleats,B, while that in the blocks is vertical, as shown and lower front cleats, 0, arranged and apin Figs. 2 and 3. plied so as to unite the blocks in the prelimi- Wooden paving-blocks united in sections by nary sections; and to unite the sections in each longitudinal strips, except as herein specified, row by breaking joints, and to interlock the and wood pavements constructed without several rows, and to form the footholds, subgravel or sand, broadly considered, are hereby stantially as specified. disclaimed as old.

I claim as new and of my invention- The improved wood pavement herein de- Signed in presence ofscribed,the ranks or rows of which transverse WM. 0. ToWNsEND, of the street are each composed of two or more EDWARD WHITEHEAD.

WM. DISNEY. 

